Lesson 10

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Step 1: I admit I am powerless to control my destructive responses to life (sin, addiction, idols, coping skills, programs for happiness) and the damage done by them APART from God.

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for they will inherit the kingdom of God.

Powerlessness is NOT... • Helplessness
• Hopelessness
• Inferior

• Failure • Despair • Victim

Powerlessness is...

  • Letting go of trying to fix it alone

  • Asking for help

  • An opportunity to face our reality and admit that our way doesn’t always work

  • Humility

  • Reliance on Christ

Reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit within you

Journalling exercise

What inside your hola hoop are you powerless over? (ex. I am powerless over my agitated, angry mood when mom is sick)

What outside your hola hoop are you powerless over? (I am powerless over my Mom’s illness and her reaction to it)



Lesson 10

GRACE
Sometimes when we stop and look at our damaging behaviors and thoughts it's easy to become discouraged. The good news is the grace you receive from God as you recognize these things in your life will be the very thing that changes you.

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble”. James 4:6

This humble stance of powerlessness will access the healing power of grace in your life. As you come to God admitting that you don’t have all the answers, that you can’t fix

yourself, you are putting yourself in a position that will allow Him to bless you with Grace.

John 1:14 Our God is a God “full of grace and truth”.

Romans 3:23-24 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified (made right) FREELY by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Grace is the currency of change.

The Ten Commandments were given so that all could see the extent of their failure to obey God’s laws and our inability to do it all “right”.

Romans 5:20...The more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God’s abounding grace forgiving us. TLB”.

Titus 2:11-12 For the GRACE of God has appeared that OFFERS SALVATION to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.


Dr. Henry Cloud states, “Grace is the unmerited favor of God toward people. Grace is something we have not earned and do not deserve. As Frederick Buechner says, “Grace is something you can never get but only be given. There’s no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about any more than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth.”

To put it another way, grace is unconditional love and acceptance. Such love is the foundation upon which all healing of the human spirit rests. It is also the essence of God. “God is love,” writes the apostle John (I John 4:8). And God loves us freely, without condition. “

Our powerlessness should not condemn us but it should remind us of God’s ever present never ending grace and love which will empower us to follow in His footprints. HIS grace empowers us to live life in abundance.

It’s humbling to say “I am powerless, I can not control my desire to ____________”. But that humility brings you to another access point to grace.

If you want your life, emotions, feelings, attitudes to change there is no way around it, God tells us over and over humble ourselves, admit you need him, admit your powerless against your flesh and open your hands and let him pour grace on you.

This will help you access the life changing power to grow.

Grace now that’s the stuff. It’s so upside down in this world. We have to earn what we get on this earth, we have to perform to succeed but not in the kingdom we are blessed with God’s grace. Grace is free.

In Hebrews it says, "See to it that no one misses the grace of God.

He want NO ONE to miss it.

You will never see his grace apart from seeing your sin, mistakes, faults, pain and admitting your are powerless. When we talk about shifting your view of sin and mistake we want you to include the potential for growth you have because of them.

WARNING: The world will try and convince us that punishment will change us, THAT CONSEQUENCES WILL CHANGE US but God tells a different story.

Again God tells us why the law was given in Romans 5:20...
“The Ten Commandments were given so that all could see the extent of their failure to

obey God’s laws. But the more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God’s abounding grace forgiving us. TLB”

Is it any surprise that the enemy wants to stop you from the admission that we are indeed powerless?

Let’s go back to your powerlessness.

Homework
What is one truth that can encourage you in your powerlessness?

What does Grace given to you look like in your life?

What does it look like to give Grace in your life?